Nike Found the Least Athletic Marathoner...

Still wondering more about how I got started before fully delving into my blog? Checkout Nike's view on me...

http://inside.nike.com/blogs/nikerunning_news-en_US/2008/10/24/from-couch-potato-to-marathoner

I can still recall Antonia's reply in response to my 'Tell Me About Yourself' team email: "I am probably the least athletic person you'll meet. I don't think I've ever run a single mile in my entire life."

This was less than two years ago. Today that same "unathletic" woman is about to run her 3rd marathon this Sunday. And her goal isn't simply to finish; she's aiming to run sub-4:15 (4:14 to be exact). Pretty cool, if you ask me.

As her mentor for her first marathon, I am particularly (incredibly, unbelievably, insanely) proud of Antonia, but my "bias" shouldn't lessen the pure awesomeness of the transformation she has undergone. In a recent email to me she said, "Running has completely changed my life, my attitudes...everything. Training for a marathon was something very difficult to adapt to as the commitments of endurance training inevitably meant changing my lifestyle, but after living in NYC for over 6 years (at the time I joined Team In Training), I was ready for a change. Running has forced me to step outside my comfort zone, in terms of physical, mental and social habits."

How exactly did this transformation come about? It started with a co-worker asking Antonia to join Team In Training (a.k.a TNT, the endurance program associated with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society). Always involved in volunteering and community service, Antonia was immediately interested...until she found out that the team raised money and trained for marathons. Laughing at the idea, she called a few friends who also laughed. One of them thought she was so crazy, however, that they bet her $1,000 she wouldn't even be able to run seven miles at 12 minute pace by the time the marathon came around. "At the time," Antonia recalls, "the thought of running 26.2 miles was so absolutely absurd." But the idea of challenging herself in a way she never had physically and the chance to raise money for a great cause prompted her to sign up that very day. And as Antonia says, "I couldn't be happier that I did." (By the way, Antonia clearly won the bet and donated the money to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.)

As with most new runners, Antonia's journey to becoming the marathon runner she is today wasn't all happy days and easy training. Around mile 10 of her first marathon (2006 Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon in Anchorage, Alaska...not an easy course!), she developed shooting pains down the side of one of her legs. Not to be deterred, she gutted it out and finished, only to find out later she had a stress fracture in her femur. Sidelined for several months by recovery, Antonia began to miss running and her new active lifestyle, something she never thought she would ever say. "The last long run I had before Alaska was a 20 mile trail run in New Jersey that I absolutely loved and finished feeling fantastic about," Antonia recalls. "I wanted that feeling again and I wanted to be able to run a full marathon feeling that way."

Once given the go-ahead to begin running again, she joined the NY Nike Run Club on Thursdays and began to soak up all the knowledge and training advice from the coaches and other runners involved with the club. After training and completing several half marathons, Antonia signed up to run and fundraise for another marathon with TNT, the 2008 Paris Marathon. "Paris was exactly what I had imagined a marathon to be–an absolutely surreal experience in which I enjoyed–yes, enjoyed!–all 26.2 miles. Since then I’ve been absolutely hooked on finding great events and participating in them."

Even now, after completing two marathons, Antonia still can't believe people call her a runner, but she loves it! And through TNT, she's now helping others to become runners by mentoring. "When I have trouble getting out the door to run, the first thing that motivates me is TNT. Not only the great cause I'm helping, but the new runners I'm motivating and friends waiting for me at practice," she said. "It's much easier to know you have friends alongside you and relying on you, you don’t want to let yourself down or those around you."

It's not likely she'll be letting anyone down–herself or otherwise–anytime soon; she's already signed on to mentor another season with Team In Training. "Next on my plate is Roma! I’ll be running the Rome Marathon with TNT this Spring and am qualified to run the marathon in New York next fall– that’s it for now." Antonia added, "I can't believe I'm saying 'that’s it' after rattling off two marathons!"

I can. From day one, I could sense the spirit and drive she had despite her "unathletic" background. Yeah, I think Antonia can nix "least athletic" from her list of descriptors. Here's to marathons three, four and five. Good luck Antonia!